The recently concluded CROSSROADS- Young Architects Festival, 2022 hosted by the Indian Institute of Architects, Calicut Centre under the aegis of IIA, Kerala Chapter, was inaugurated by distinguished personalities Chief Guest Ar. C. R. Raju, President, IIA, National, Ar.Vilas Avachat, Vice President, IIA, National, Ar.Leena Kumar, Joint Honourary Secretary, IIA, National, Ar.Sathish Mane, Joint Honourary Secretary, IIA, National, Ar.Divya Kush, Immediate Past President, IIA, National, Ar.L.Gopakumar, Chairperson, IIA, Kerala Chapter Ar.Lalichan Zacharias, Past Chairperson, IIA, Kerala Chapter, Ar.Jabeen Zacharias, Past Chairperson, IIA, Kerala Chapter, Ar.Vivek P. P., Chairperson, IIA, Calicut Centre, Ar.Noufal C. Hashim, Convenor- YAF 2022, Ar.Mohammed Afnan, Joint Honourary Secretary, IIA, Calicut Centre. With over 2,500 delegates, 200 guests, 10,000 footfalls, and 350 volunteers, it was the country’s largest architectural festival with significant participation from the public as well.
The NATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION: RE-WEAVE KOZHIKODE: REIMAGINING THE COMTRUST PRECINCT had nine finalists showcasing sensitive, responsive, comprehensive, all-encompassing design interventions which shall help re-weave a lost treasure back with its city and its people, without losing its identity and inherent character in what it was yesterday, what it is today and what it shall be tomorrow. The presentations threw light onto the different approaches that exist to carefully restore and revive a heritage structure in the city centre, not just making it a showcased artefact that exists among us from
the past, but one that has a soul of its own has wisdom and lineage of a heritage past and renders character and life to the present city as well.
The eminent jury comprised prominent personalities such as Ar. Peter Rich, Prof. K. T. Ravindran and Ar. Soumitro Ghosh. The jury contemplated the competition process and the project, its potential, and their different perspectives on the ideal approach for the design. In the discussion with the jury, Ar.Peter Rich, principal architect, Peter Rich Architects, South Africa, commented “The level of commitment of the entries, to how holistically looking at what was a complex problem, they didn’t just treat it as heritage, they dealt with it more holistically in a bigger context, so that it becomes something that more enabling and gives the pleasure of use.”
The event was attended by distinguished guests from governance and people representatives witnessing these presentations and they discoursed how this project can fruitfully be brought to reality. Honourable District Collector, Shri.Narasimhaguri T. L. Reddy, Dr.M. K. Muneer, MLA and Shri.Pradeep Kumar A., Ex-MLA, discussed that a PPP approach would be ideal for this project bringing equal stake for public as well as private parties such that the project has a sustainable way forward. This session was moderated by Ar. Vinod Cyriac, Principal Architect, Space ART, senior mentor, Crossroads-YAF 2022, who was the torch bearer in IIA, Calicut’s endeavours to bridging the gap between architecture
and the people, an arduous venture that began a decade ago. There was photo exhibition with Comtrust building photographs taken by architect photographer Syam Sreesylam, at the Kerala Lalithakala Academy which lasted a whole week before the event, where entry to public was also open, so that the people of Calicut have a context of what the project is. This exhibition continued at the venue during the event.
The winners of this competition are as follows:
Commendation for 1 Lakh: Studio 4_B16 x mofussillab, Karnataka Runner up for 3 Lakhs: Urban Precinct, Karnataka Winner for 5 Lakhs: APC Associates, Trichy
At this event Ar. N M SALIM was honoured for his commitment and dedication.
YAF AWARDS 2022
The Young Architects Festival Awards 2022 was distinguishably reformatted this time to commend young practices and not just projects. The format required the firms to submit multiple projects in diverse 8 categories. “A whopping 100 entries showcasing around 450 projects were received to be deliberated, discussed, evaluated, and shortlisted to 40 entries” says Ar. Sujith G. S., Convenor, YAF Awards. Each category had eminent jury panels and they all had intensive dialogs to be able to wane down the entries but to winners and several commendations were inevitable.
Following are the award winners:
Category: Best Young Practice: SPACE FOR LIVING
Winner: A for Architecture
Commendations: 3dor concepts, A line studio, Avinash Ankalge, Cochin creative collective
Category: Best Young Practice: SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE ARCHITECTURE
Winners: Compartment S4, Mad(e) in Mumbai
Commendation: Myspace architects
Category: Best Young Practice: SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
Winner: Avinash Ankalge
Commendations: Mitti, Bhoomija creations
Category: Best Young Practice: SPACES FOR COLLECTIVITY AND COLLABORATION
Winner: Art on architecture
Category: Best Young Practice: ARCHITECTURAL DETAILING
Winner: A line studio
Category: Best young Practice: IDEAS FOR FUTURE
Winners: Sthaan, Cochin creative collective
Category: Best Young Practice: ARCHIETCTURAL REPRESENTATION/ VISUALISATION
Winners: Sthaan, Cochin creative collective
Category: Best Young Practice: SPACES FOR WORKING
Winner: Flying seeds
Commendations: Shreyas Patil architects, Workshop Inc.
